BATTLE LAKE - Walleye fishing has been hit and miss. For the most part, Ottertail is best using jigs and minnows in 7-11 feet or trolling with Lindy rigs in 15-20 feet using minnows or nightcrawlers. Anglers are also jigging in 50 feet of water. The fish will bite once you locate them. On Battle Lake walleye anglers are fishing the weedline using bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers in 15-20 feet using early mornings or late afternoons. Northern pike hitting Rapalas, spoons, minnows along the weedlines on area lakes. Sunfish biting on small leeches, nightcrawlers or waxworms. Crappies in 20 feet, anglers fishing 3 feet down. Bass are hitting spinnerbaits or plastic frogs on area lakes.

BEMIDJI - Walleye bite is still going strong. Best lakes are Plantagenet, Bemidji, Andrusia and Cass. Try using redtails or a jig and a minnow. Northern and muskie reports have been quiet. A few deer registered, with mixed reports on grouse and ducks.

BLACKDUCK -Decent walleye bite on Blackduck with some nice perch reported also. Try 8-12 feet with a jig/minnow or a Lindy rig/minnow. We are on the border of the early deer season and people report seeing a lot of bucks moving. Duck season spotty, but some hunters doing very well if they are in the right spots. Grouse also spotty. Goose hunting is excellent with northern birds moving down.

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA - Fishing has been pretty darn good. There have been days where I have had to scratch my brain and wonder what is up, but most days we have been finding fish that are willing to cooperate. We have been working Gull and Whitefish and it seems that we are still in kind of a transitional period with the water temps hanging around the 60 degree mark. When the temp slides down, the fishing will even get better (I believe). Lindy Rigs and Northland Fireballs have been the presentations we have been sticking to. Redtail chubs and rainbow chubs have been the minnows of choice and the depths where we have been finding them have varied from 14-40 feet.

CHISAGO CITY - The crappies are biting well on Chisago, North Center and Little Lake. Walleyes hitting on Green Lake. Chisago has been great for walleyes in 4-6 feet using rattle traps. St. Croix River walleye fishing also picking up at Franconia.

CROSBY - Walleye action best on Rabbit, Clearwater, Serpent. Try redtails along the weeds or in deep water, 22-40 feet. Spinnerbaits tipped with a sucker producing pike in shallow bays. Crappies biting on Serpent, Little Rabbit. Mississippi best for smallmouth with either leeches under a bobber or topwater during the low-light periods of the day.

CROSSLAKE - Look for northerns and bass in the shallow weeds. Crappies biting at their winter spots suspended in 20-30 feet of water. Walleyes biting on the Whitefish Chain in 15-22 feet.

DULUTH - Crappies biting on Fish Lake between the dam and High Banks. Walleyes best on Boulder and Island lakes. On Island, try 12-22 feet depending on the weather. Salmon starting to bite in the Lester and French rivers on Superior. Salmon bite has been good from the French River north to the Gooseberry River area. South Shore of Lake Superior in front of Blue River good for coho. Best baits are small spoons and diver type baits such as a Rapala Shad Rap. The recent rain has been good for the area, anglers now starting to report action while shore casting for loopers.

ELY - The walleyes are continuing to cooperate. Fish are not set in their depth patterns though, as we have been catching them in water from 15-37 feet. This is probably due to some of the smaller lakes turning over first. We're showing average water temps around 57 degrees. More importantly though is that the fish are active and biting. Northerns are still hitting suckers and large shiners fished shallow. The bird hunting is hit and miss. You have to work harder for them as they are holding tight under cover from the rain. Sunny days bring them back out.

FOREST LAKE - Walleye fishing is picking up with colder water temps on area lakes. Try Forest and Clear lakes in 15-20 feet of water with a jig/fathead. St. Croix River fishing is also starting to pick up. Muskie action is pretty good using topwater in the evenings. Try Forest or Bald Eagle. Panfish hitting, try Little Lake for big sunnies and Chisago and North Center for numbers.

GREY EAGLE - Walleye action is excellent on Cedar Lake with bigger walleyes being caught by slip bobber fishing with a fathead or a jig and minnow during the evening hours. Walleyes also being caught on Big and Little Birch with shiners and redtails and on Kings Lake by Freeport. The Mississippi has been picking up for walleyes using redtails. Mound and Moose are your best bets for crappies. Sunnies best on Big Swan.

HACKENSACK - Walleyes are in their typical fall patterns. A jig/minnow with a redtail popular but golden shiners, fatheads also working. Lakes to try are Woman and Pine Mountain. Leech Lake is doing very well on the drop-offs and edges in 17-25 feet. Lots of perch being caught with some big 12-14 inchers reported. Try Woman and Leech for perch. Muskie reports have been quiet. Panfish anglers struggling, although some report good luck using crappie minnows and small jigs on smaller area lakes.

KABETOGAMA-NAMAKAN -Lots of rain kept anglers off the lake for the most part, those donning their rain gear and jigging at 35 give or take did quite well. The catch for walleyes, although good, frustrated many anglers when they have to release those over 17. Not a bad problem to have. Many days anglers did real well for harvest size fish only to catch big ones same spot the next day. Oh well, thats fall fishing. Lots of pike taken in the weedy bays and similar shorelines, catch seems to produce 2-6 for the most part. Crappie action very hit and miss, angle for this species near the Ash River entrance and West Namakan. There has been some shallow bite, under 15 for walleyes, but the deep water near the Martins, Blind Ash, Blunt Island and other sharp drop off structures seem to kick out the most fish. Grouse hunting this past week rated as poor, scattered birds and lots of cover favors the grouse. Bear still active, some registrations as the season winds down. Bow and arrow nearly non-existent for deer and bear this past week.

LAKE OF THE WOODS -Anchored and jigging with a shiner minnow is the way to go here at Lake of the Woods. The fall run of the emerald shiners is in full swing, and the walleye are on the move as they follow them up the river. Morris Gap, Lighthouse Gap, and the Zippel Bay area have been producing some nice walleye and sauger. Anglers have been limiting out in 10-14 feet of water. Water temperature in the lake is at 54.9 degrees as of October 8th. All along the Rainy River, from Wheelers Point east to Birchdale, anglers have been seeing nice limits of fish. Theyve had to switch to a heavier jig due to the current picking up lately; most are using a ¾ oz. Jig. The water temperature in the river is around 57 degrees, so its still a little warm for the big walleye. But they have made a few appearances. The Northwest Angle and Islands has been giving up some nice walleye around the reefs. Trolling for the big muskie has started, some of the hot spots include: American Point, north side of Oak Island, and the Flag Island area. Duck hunting opens soon and dont forget that the Northwest Angle is located on a migratory flyway.

LEECH LAKE - Fishing has been great on Leech Lake. Pearl color jig and a minnow is all you need to catch walleyes up on Grand Vu Flats and Little Hardwoods. If you like pulling crankbaits then Pelican Island and Diamond Points are very good choices. Perch are biting great behind Bears Island and also in Traders Bay. Agency Bay is a hot spot for muskie fishing right now. Duck hunters are having great success so bring your gun and your rod up and have some fun!

METRO AREA EAST - Walleye anglers are fishing the rivers, with a nice 28-inch walleye reported over the weekend on the Mississippi. The Griz reports phenomenal action for saugers, walleyes and crappies on the St. Croix. He was using crankbaits, shad raps. Anglers are also using nightcrawlers and jig/minnow. For bass action, head to Lake Jane.

MILLE LACS LAKE - Jumbo perch bite is steady on Mille Lacs. Walleye anglers are trolling Rapalas on Garrison Reef.As we get closer to the harvest moon and the water temps are starting to drop, notice the fish moving into shallower waters. Perch are the hot bite of the week as I'm sure the word has gotten out. For the past couple of weeks the perch bite has been awesome as it usually is this time of year. Hit the bay areas. Walleyes are hanging around the top of the gravel or shallow rocks in the evening. Try chasing deep diving cranks or some reef runners or even minnows. Daytime hours, try about 19 feet. Evening hours just before dusk, and up to an hour after sunset, move to 7-12 feet.

LAKE MINNETONKA - On Minnetonka, there is a nice jig/fathead walleye bite in 28 feet of water. A few hitting floating crawler rigs. Pike and bass are tight to the weedlines. Try spinnerbaits tipped with suckers. Crappie bite is best early mornings or late evenings in the channel areas on a jig and a minnow. Minnetonka muskie anglers are buying 16-18 inch decoy size sucker minnows and are also using typical muskie lures such as bucktails. Work the large main lake points and humps for the most action.

NISSWA - Crappies on the deep weedlines on area lakes. For walleyes and pike, try Gull, Pelican and Whitefish Pike biting at the weedline, walleyes are also at the weedline or deeper. Redtails and jigs best for walleyes.

LAKE OSAKIS - Walleyes are biting on Lake Osakis in the shallows on plugs. Bass and pike action is also going strong throughout the lake. Crappies are hitting a jig/fathead.

RAINY LAKE - Crappie action is best in Sand Bay. Crappies and a few pike being caught in Black Bay. Walleyes in 30-40 feet of water at Sand Bay, in the area of American Narrows and on the east end reefs.

RED WING - Anglers having luck catching walleyes and sauger casting Ikes hair jigs tipped with a minnow into the rip rap. Pike are still hanging around the mouth of the Rush River. Panfish and bass are biting around Maple Springs.

SAINT CLOUD -The Mississippi River is producing smallmouth catch and release action. Walleyes, crappies and catfish are also biting on the Mississippi. Northern pike active on Clearwater and Pearl Lakes. Anglers are catching walleyes on Big Birch and Alexander. Sunfish hitting waxworms on Clearwater.

SAINT PETER - Sunfish and crappies are biting on Lake Washington. Walleyes are best on the river. You could also try Madison or Washington for some walleyes.

SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA - Panfish are biting on Lake Tetonka. Look for sunnies in the lagoon area. Crappie minnows or waxies working well. We've also had some good walleye reports.

WINNIBIGOSHISH - Good walleye action reported on Winnie, although with the rain not too many anglers have been out. Fireball jig/rainbow chub has been the best presentation. North Shore, Stony Point, Mallard Point and Raven's Point in 6-8 feet of water have been producing fish. Big Cutfoot walleye fishing is good to excellent. Try Bob's Bar, Battle Point and Seeleye Point in 10-14 feet with a jig/minnow. Some anglers are pulling #7-8 shad raps trolling the break from Battle Point to Bowen's Bay. Crappie and bluegill fishing seems to be holding up on Little Cutooft in depths of 15-18 feet. Small gypsy jigs with half a nightcrawler or minnow working well. Reports of several nice muskies in Big Cutfoot with one 48-incher C&R. Grouse hunting sporadic. With the leaves down now, we should have better reports in the next week or two. Duck hunting reports mixed but it seems to be better shooting than last year at this time. Most hunters waiting for the change in weather for the northern flights to come down. Should be very soon with the cooling temps predicted this week.